When you can't find lingerie that fits, you might as well make your own — at least, that's what Dana Donofree did.Donofree, a 28-year-old survivor of breast cancer, founded AnaOno, a lingerie line for women going through all stages of breast cancer surgeries, from post-double mastectomy to enhancement. The line, which features everything from lace bralettes to bamboo sports bras, ranges in price from $32 to $58. It debuts this summer, and items can be purchased at AnaOno.com.
It all started the day before Donofree's 28th birthday, two months before her wedding. The designer was diagnosed with infiltrative ductal carcinoma, and underwent a bilateral mastectomy, reconstructive surgery and then chemotherapy. After no longer being able to fit into standard bras, Donofree created AnaOno for herself and other women in similar situations.
"None of the bras in department stores, specialty boutiques, websites — you name it — fit," Donofree told Mashable. "I knew what was needed for women like me, so I started sketching and looking for stretchy, beautiful, non-irritating materials."
To ensure she was using the right materials and creating a product that breast cancer survivors would use and love, Donofree enlisted friends who had undergone different surgeries, and based company decisions on their feedback. The process was an emotional one, and she recalls crying when trying on her first design.
"For me, when I put on my first design, it was life-changing," Donofree said. "I cried not because it was my own work, but because it was the first time in years I felt like myself. I felt desirable and I felt whole."
There is a style guide on AnaOno's website that specifically explains which bra is made for which stage of surgery.
"We encounter many challenges during breast cancer treatment, our underwear drawer shouldn't be one of them," the website says.
With her products, Donofree aims to help women "feel like themselves again."
"Cancer strips away identity, and reconstruction surgery tries to replace some of it," she said. "But until you start to do the things you used to before cancer and before surgery, there is always something missing."
To continue the fight against breast cancer, AnaOno is donating 5% of all sales of "The Jill" and "The Kelly" bras to Jill's Wish, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to women undergoing breast cancer treatment.
As its mission states, AnaOno hopes "to build confidence and redefine what it means to be 'sexy,' while opening a space for survivors to communicate with one another and share their stories."
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